SPS/LPS Growing

[gakayaker12234]

I am considering running GFO in my tank via a GFO reactor. My sps and lps corals seem to be growing very slowly if any. I have adequate lighting, pH, calcium, and alkalinity levels, and i supplement with strontium, iodine, and magnesium. I think that phosphates are my problem limiting the growth of these corals. Nitrates are at 0. Would a GFO reactor help their growth by removing phosphates?

 

[snowmansnow]

phosphates generally cause algae blooms, but in excess I suppose they COULD limit growth.

I know you say you have adequate lighting and levels... but can you list them out here? Also, how deep is your tank.

What kind of sps? Acros? Caps? Digita? Milli?

Also when you say your sps corals are growing slowly... how long has it been. Keep in mind that corals grow exponentially. If they are small frags you won't see much growth, but as they mature more surface area = more trapped energy and food = more growth.

 

[gakayaker12234]

I am mainly talking about the pieces in my frag tank-Acros and milli are hardly growing. The frag tank is a 20 gallon tank with a 175 20k halide on it. There is plenty of flow, and the tank is 16 inches deep i think. I can grow montiporas just fine. I do have a little bit of an algae problem, but the algae is not overtaking any of the frags. PH-8.1, Alk-10, Calcium 400, nitrate-0, phosphates are the only factor that i can think of at <.25. I have not seen any vertical growth out of my blue milli frag in 4 months. It encrusted quickly but thats it.

 

[liverock27]

I am too looking into running GFO and I think I read that you need to keep your Alk down around 8 or it can cause burnt tips. Someone with experience might be able to jump in and let me and you know if that is correct.

 

[dme330i]

How are you maintaining ALK and Ca? Are they stable or do they fluctuate. I can't recall the exact reference, but remember reading that phosphates can inhibit skeletal growth. However, there is also a very recent article that suggests little to no impact on growth due to elevated phosphates.

 

[gakayaker12234]

I use seachem's powdered reef buffer, builder, and calcium supplements to maintain levels plus monthly water changes so the levels do fluctuate a little bit. I guess having a calcium reactor would keep levels constant which would provide a more favorable environment for sps growth

 

[mvm]

Do you have a lot of coraline growth?

 

[gakayaker12234]

Yup coralline growth is quick on the glass and stuff just not so much on the rock

 

[snowmansnow]

I'm still thinking maybe you just aren't giving enough time. You mentioned milli coral.... IME millis have been VERY slow growers...

 

[ralph atl]

high PAR, great parems within accepted limits (fluctuations within accepted limits is generally fine), Great random flow, and trates at 0.5 or below and phates at 0.03 or below will get you optimum growth.

YES, phates can cause sps to grow slow. stop growing, and actually tips can die off...

 

[gakayaker12234]

I think the phosphates are my issue because the tank was set up with tap water. It has been running 8 months now with RODI for water changes and top offs, but i feel like the phosphates are still in the water column. I will probably set up GFO and see how that works